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Monday, July 30, 2007

Ruddy turnstone fact sheet

Arenariainterpres | Ruddy turnstone

The ruddy turnstone
is a small and plump wading bird with short orange legs and checkered dorsal
plumage. The chest and belly are white (with a distinctive black bib) and the
black beak is short and wedge-shaped. In the non breeding season they are dull in
colour, but during the
breeding season the lighter plumage on their back becomes orange. In flight
they have distinctive white wing stripes and black on the trailing edge of the
wings. The Ruddy turnstone is a highly migratory bird that is found throughout
northern Eurasia as well as North and South America. In the winter they spread
to coastlines of almost the entire world. They are present on all islands of
the Azores throughout the year and are mostly observed on pebble beaches
coastal lagoons. In the winter we often see them in the marina Here they are
usually seen running busily over the rocks, making them very difficult to
photograph. This species is classified as a "common vagrant" in the Azores.Length: 21 - 26 cmWeight: 84 - 190 gWingspan: 50 - 57 cmPopulation: c.460,000 - 800,000Longevity: 19.7 years (maximum)Diet: Crustaceans, molluscs, wormsBreeding age: 2 - 4 years

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Futurismo has 25 years of experience whale watching and swimming with dolphins in the Azores. We operate tours from São Miguel Island on a year-round basis.

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